Second gear Celtic

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Yesterday was the fourth time in four games this season Celtic have won without having to leave second gear.  Kilmarnock and St Mirren were both stretched by European qualification ties, while Hibs have had a humiliating start to the season, even for them.  Still, there could hardly be a starker illustration of the chasm between our domestic and Champions League challenges.

Scotland’s other leading club made it eight wins on the bounce this season, as Aberdeen continue to provide the main competition to the champions.  The first showdown between the clubs does not happen for another seven weeks, a game that could go a long way to determining the title.

Credit to St Mirren for dominating the first 140 seconds of the tie; unfortunately for them, Celtic scored the first time they got forward with the ball.  A trademark Celtic passing move opened space for Callum McGregor 24 yards out, who fired low into the net.  St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson’s plans to get stuck in early became unstuck before many fans had got to their seat.

Reo Hatate doubled the advantage 33 minutes in with the goal of the game.  Alistair Johnston pitched a high ball into the box for Daizen Maeda to run onto.  The Japanese winger headed back and down into space for Reo, who struck the ball on the drop-volley, clipping the inside of the post on the way in.  Johnston removed any doubt about the result with a goal midway through the second half.

Paulo Bernardo showed lots of tidy work in the central midfield role normally occupied by Matt O’Riley, who travelled south for a medical over the weekend and should compete his move to Brighton today.  More on Matt at a later date.

As the deadline looms, players and clubs across the continent have sharpened their options.  Barcelona agreed to a new-contract-and-loan-to-Celtic deal with 20-year-old left back Alex Valle.  The player is expected in Glasgow today for a medical.  At the end of this season, he will have one year remaining on is Barcelona deal, with a buy-out figure which is greatly reduced from where it was a week ago.

Goalkeeper is the only area of the field we are not looking to add to this week.  This is not your first transfer window, so usual caveats, but it should be an interesting few days.

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  1. Happy Monday all.

     

     

    Might take Friday off to nab a four day weekend (Labour day) so I can sit and hit F5 like a loon.

     

     

    Bright start to season. Next 7 days can really cement that.

  2. bigrailroadblues on

    A reminder that there shall be a meeting of the CQN Shipbank Shipwrecks on Friday, 30th August at the Old Ship Bank, Saltmarket sur la Clyde. 12pm onwards you absolute shower of hooligans.

  3. bigrailroadblues on

    Embdy attending on Friday mentioning the board or transfer window shall have to pay a forfeit of free drink for me and Big Jimmy.

  4. Dexter P. Bampot on

    Surely the Engels story is wrong? Personal terms agreed but transfer fee still way off agreement??

  5. In fact a player’s agent can agree personal terms with more than 1 club – then it’s up to the clubs to agree a fee.

     

    The important thing is that the selling club fas given permission or the player has only 6 months left on their contract

  6. Dexter P. Bampot on

    BHOYJOEBELFAST on 26TH AUGUST 2024 12:21 PM

     

    ● Which Scottish side’s name contains the letter’s A,B, C, D and E ?

     

    ——-

     

     

    Caledonian Braves

  7. In the late 60s the penny farthing was always my Friday night starting point before going up the toon.

     

    Are the floors still sticky

  8. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    “Aberdeen continue to provide the main competition to the champions. The first showdown between the clubs does not happen for another seven weeks, a game that could go a long way to determining the title.”

     

    ——————

     

    I seem to recall someone saying the same about St Mirren at the same stage last season.

     

    Aberdeen have started well (albeit not against any particularly strong opposition) and their hiring of a progressive manager looks to be working out, but the idea that they could be hitting 90+ points is just absurd.

     

    As usual Celtic’s main competition will come from Celtic.

  9. Leaving things so, so late inevitably leaves a heck of alot of work to be compressed into a few days. Needlessly so, in my view, but we are where we are. Whether we have been shrewd or stupid will become self evident come Saturday morning.

  10. Brazilian midfield legend Ronaldinho’s son, Joao Mendes, could be sent on loan to Dundee after the 19-year-old winger joined Burnley from Barcelona. (Scottish Sun), external

     

     

    Celtic are closing in on the loan signing of Barcelona left-back Alex Valle, with the Scottish champions paying a fee of around £1.3m for the 20-year-old who has signed a new contract until summer 2026 after spending last season with Levante. (Anthony Joseph on X), external

     

     

    Alex Valle, the 20-year-old left-back who has just signed a new deal with Barcelona until June 2026, will travel to Glasgow on Monday to undergo a medical with Celtic after a loan deal with no option to buy was agreed. (Fabrizio Romano on X, external

     

     

    Celtic have approached Lazio to take 23-year-old Danish winger Gustav Isaksen on loan with an obligation to buy. (Repubblica Roma via LazioNews24)

  11. Bhoyjoebelfast on

    GENE @12:23 YES.

     

    BRRB @12:25 YES ( Hmmmmm FC )

     

    DEXTER @12:26 YES ( Caught there,but good answer)

  12. glendalystonsils on

    SAINT STIVS on 26TH AUGUST 2024 12:45 PM

     

     

    I don’t doubt Brendan Rodgers ability to develop a player provided the potential is there , but in the case of Isaksen (or any player) surely a loan with option to buy is more sensible than a loan with obligation to buy?

     

    If things don’t work out you end up with another player to offload .

  13. Brother John Beaton will get the game next Sunday guaranteed with ether Dallas or Welsh on VAR …

     

    .

  14. AuroraBorealis79 on

    BHOYFROMSKY on 26TH AUGUST 2024 12:56 PM

     

    Brother John Beaton will get the game next Sunday guaranteed with ether Dallas or Welsh on VAR …

     

     

    4 games with 5 penalties denied, I think it matters not who the referee or VAR should be.

  15. The YouTube links can be misleading , having no knowledge of the leagues or opposition at times makes it harder to form a view of how good the player is ……

     

     

    Hence the reason I never put up the link to Austin Trusty ……..looked average at best .

  16. bournesouprecipe on

    RIP Sven Goran Eriksson

     

     

    (Gave Alan Thompson his one cap after seeing him one night af Parkhead)

  17. IF

     

     

    If you can keep your head when all about you

     

    are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

     

    If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

     

    But make allowance for their doubting too;

     

    If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

     

    or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

     

    Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,

     

     

    If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;

     

    If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;

     

    If you can meet with triumph and disaster

     

    And treat those two impostors just the same;

     

    If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

     

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

     

     

    If you can turn Glasgow Celtic into the most successful Scottish football club on the field of play,

     

    And the most financially successful entity ever in Scottish sporting history

     

     

    You’ll do for me, Peter Lawwell.

  18. AuroraBorealis79 on

    Who would have known dermot Gallagher would believe the ref got both maeda pen calls correctly. “I think, for the first, maeda wraps both legs around the defender as the defender goes for the ball. For the second, I think it’s one of them he goes in & takes his ground”. Because daizan meada gets to his feet quickly, Gallagher reckons maeda doesn’t think he will get a foul. He is correct that maedda does not believe he will get a foul but, not for whatever reason Gallagher would figment. What ab arsehole

  19. glendalystonsils on

    AURORABOREALIS79 on 26TH AUGUST 2024 1:13 PM

     

     

    Gallagher shares a brain with Kris Boyd when it comes to opining on Celtic penalty claims . So much so that I honestly believe they also share an agenda .

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